Liquid conditioning system



July 12, 1938. H. e. MOJONNIER LIQUID CONDITIONING S YSTEM Filed Aug.50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Imk 911131- y 12, 1933- H. G. MOJONNIER2,123,340

LIQUID CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 orr eyPatented July 12, 1938 PATENT OFFICE mourn conm'nome SYSTEM Harry G.Mojonnie'r, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Mojonnier Bros. 00., acorporation of Illinois Application August 30,

4'. Claims.

The present invention relates to liquid conditioning systems generally,and more particularly to systems of this kind wherein a liquid from agiven source of supply is conditioned and then held in its conditionedstate as a supply to be intermittently drawn upon for subsequent use.

As illustrative, it is the practice in the carbonating beverage industryto use water at a more or less, definitely low temperature as a losupply for the carbonator, the latter operating more or less regularlyand intermittently to withdraw the cool water from the supply, drawingofi thewater, say for three minutes, and then being inactive, say forsix minutes, and then withdrawing again for three minutes, and so on. Insuch systems it has been common practice heretofore to cool the water bymeans of a mechanical refrigerating system and to do so by sending thewater throughthe cooler of such a system over and over again, thusrecirculating it, as the practice is sometimes called.

The principal object of the present invention is 'to produce a system ofthe kind indicated in which the water, or other liquid, will pass'onlyonce through or over the cooling elements of the refrigerating systemwithout recirculating the same, and yet will meet all requirements ofapparatus with which it is subsequently to be used, whether carbonatingapparatus or otherwise. There are many advantages in such a system overrecirculating systems of equal capacity. These advantages include lowinitial cost of equipment and installation, low cost of maintenance,more economical operation, and

greater efliciency.

Other objects of the invention are to provide simple apparatus which maybe readily installed, easily cleaned and repaired, and which at the sametime will be sanitary and pleasing in appearance.

The invention has been developed for use in the carbonated beverageindustry and so will be described in that connection, although, as willappear more fully hereinafter, the same may be 5 used in other relationsand in some instances for heating instead of cooling.

The various features and advantages of the invention will be bestunderstood upon reference to the showing detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the scope of the inventionwill beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagram of a system constructed andarranged in accordance with the presentinvention and intended forfurnish- 19s1, Serial No. 161,533 (01. 251-2) ing a water supply for acarbonator. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cooling element of thesystem shown with the heat, exchanger elements exposed to view. Fig. 3is a similar view showing the heat exchanger elements inclosed, a 5suitable cover cooperating with other parts to provide the enclosure.And Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the heat exchanger, with the coverdisplaced to the right. Throughout these views like characters refer tolike parts.

In brief, the system herein disclosed includes electromagneticallyoperated water supply mechanism A for furnishing water to the heatexchanger elements B which are intended to cool the water received anddeliver it in cooled condition to a receiver C located below the coolingelements and serving to hold a considerable supply of the conditionedwater ready for the use of a carbonator D which is supplied with waterfrom the receiver C through the agency of an intermittently operatedpump E.

To cool the elements B, any suitable compression refrigerating systemmay be employed.

That shown is similar to one illustrated on page 3 of "MiscellaneousPublication No. 138, United States Department of Agriculture,Washington,

D. C., March 1932. The illustrated refrigerating system includes,besides the elements B, a

' compressor F which takes ammonia gas or like temperature controllingmedium from the upper 30 passages of the cooling elements B and advancesit in a compressed condition to the coils of a condenser G wherein it iscondensed and passed in liquid form to a receiver H from which it flowsas a liquid through an expansion valve J to the lower coils of thecooler element B. As the liquid expands in its passage upward throughthe cooler elements B, it withdraws heat from-the water which is flowingfrom the supply mechanism A to the receiver C. So long as the compressorF is in operation the refrigerating medium travels repeatedly over thecircuit just traced and thus heat is continuously abstracted during suchoperation from the water flowing over the elements B. An electric motorK drives the compressor F. An electromagnetically operated switch Lcontrols the motor K and also the electromagnetically operated valve ofthe water supply mechanism A. A little further examination will showthat the switch L is under the control of a floatcontrolled electricswitch M located in the receiver C. Whenever the level of the liquid inthe receiver drops low enough, the switch M will clpse its circuit andactuate the switch L to start the motor K. At the same time the supplymeans A will operate to start a flow of water over the cooling elementsB. This action will continue until the level of the liquid in thereceiver C rises suiilciently to cause switch M to open its circuit.Upon a subsequent suillcient lowering of the level of the liquid in thecontainer C, the operation iust outlined will be repeated. Thus, boththe refrigerating system and the water supply are under the control ofthe valve M.

The water supply mechanism A includes a supply pipe I which leads from asuitable source of, water such as that furnished by a city main. In thepipe I is a'valve 9 which is normally closed but may be opened throughthe action of a solenoid ll associated with the valve stem. Suchelectromagnetically operated valves are well known and the diagrammaticillustration of the same should sufllce for the present disclosure. Atthe delivery end the pipe 8 preferably turns down into the distributorll of the associated cooler. The circuit by which the valve 8 isoperated will be pointed out later when considering the other electricalconnections.

The heat exchange elements B are of well known construction, beingindividually made up of pressed sheets of metal which are weldedtogether to provide interior passages for the heat exchange medium andsmooth outer surfaces for contacting with the liquid which passes overthem. For a fuller disclosure of heat exchange elements of the kinddescribed, reference may be had to United States Patent No. 2,040,947,dated May 19, 1936.

The elements B are, in the present instance, held in vertical positionby the pipes l2 and I3 which connect with the upper and lower, outletand inlet, openings of the elements. As shown more particularly in Fig.2, these pipes pass through openings in a vertical wall it which formspart of the frame structure of the heat exchanger of the system.Obviously, since there are several elements B, four being shown, thepipes l2, l3 preferably connect with manifolds or headers l1,

' I. located in the rear of the upright panel or wall I4. 01 thesemanifolds, the outlet manifold i1 is connected to pipe I9 and the inletmanifold is to pipe 20.

Obviously, the elements B might be mounted differently but for the,present purposes the rigid mountings are quite satisfactory. Theseelements are quite limited in size and. are therefore preferably spacedapart sumciently to permit an attendant to reach between them andthoroughly scrub. or otherwise clean them.

The receiver C is positioned directly beneath the elements, B and is inthe form of an oblong box provided with legs 2| which rest upon thefloor and elevate the entire structure.' The upright back I rests uponthe ends of the receiver C and is supported in its upright position byone or more brackets 22 which may "be formed integral with the part H orseparate therefrom as desired. Preferably the container C has an opentop except that the portion behind the back II is preferably closed bya-cover 23.

The back I provides a bearing for the edges of a box-like cover which isadapted to rest upon the upper edges of the container walls and to bearagainst the back. When the cover is in place,'it entirely incloses theelements of the heat exchanger as will be apparent from a comparison ofFigs. 2 and 3, the cover 24 being shown in place in the latter figure.

The carbonator D may be any one of several carbonators now in themarket. As the same in itself is old, and forms no part of the presentinvention, except as it may do so in association, it is merelydiagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1.

The pump E which supplies the carbonator D with conditioned water fromthe receiver C is indicated as one of variable delivery. This merelymeans that it will be operated to supply the cooled water to thecarbonator at intervals, as previously pointed out. As before stated, itis common for carbonatorsto have their pumps operate continuously forthree minutes and then remain quiescent for six minutes and then againoperate three minutes, and so on, except, of course, that suchintermittent regularity may be interfered with when it is necessary tostop the carbonator because of a broken bottle or otherwise as may occurin practice. In such instances, however, the stop is notlong enough tointerfere with the emcient operation of the invention.

The compressor F may be of any well known construction. It is preferablyprovided with a head pressure gage 26 and a back pressure gage 21. Thelatter is included in the piping l9 which runs from the header ll of theheat exchange sections B, to the compressor head. The former is indirect connection with the pipe line 28 which runs from the compressorhead to the upper coils of the condenser G.

-The condenser G consists of a number of coils, as indicated, throughwhich the ammonia or other heat exchange medium is forced by thecompressor F. The medium, after being condensed, passes through pipeline 29 to the receiver H. The condenser G also includes a water inletpipe 30 which is suitably pierced on its under side with a series ofapertures 3| for the delivery of water to the exterior of the coils asis usual. .The water passing from the coils of the condenser G passesinto a trough 32 and through a suitable pipe outlet 33 to a waste waterconnection. Thus there is a constant flow of cooling water over thecoils of the condenser and it performs its function of cooling the gasor other medium and liquefying it for collection in the receiver H.

The receiver H is of well known construction and may be provided withsuitable gages if desired. The pipe line 29 enters the upper part ofthe'receiver H and thus any gas which may be contained in the liquefiedmedium will collect in the upper part of the receiver whereas the liquidwill lie in the lower portion. From this lower portion a pipe line 34extends to the expansion valve J.

The expansion valve may be of any well known design. Such valves are incommon use and that shown need not be further described. The expansionvalve in turn is connected by the pipe 20 with the lower header I8, andthence to the lower passages of the heat exchange elements B.

Any suitable motor may be employed for driving the compressor F. In thepresent instance, a three-phase electric motor K is shown. Power istransmitted from the motor K to the compressor F through a power belt35. The motor connections are made through three conductors 2G, 31. 38which lead from the motor to corresponding movable switch contacts 39,40, 4|. These contacts cooperate with fixed contacts and conductors, 43,M, respectively, to complete the connection with thesupply leads 4!, 46,41. The switch L normally has its contacts open. When current is passedthrough the winding 42 of the switchthen the contacts are drawn intoclosed position. As soon as current is cut on, the contacts move to openposition. A return spring 42 such space with fairly tight joints isquite impor-' serves to bring about the opening throw of the switch. Itwill be observed that the winding 48 of the switch L is in seriescircuit with the fixed contacts 50 and BI of the switch M. Theconductors which establish this series arrangement are conductor 52which connects with lead 44 and conductor 53 which connectswith lead 43.

Theswitch M is of the float controlled type and is merelydiagrammatically illustrated. Such illustration shows a bridging contact54 which is fixed to the arm 55 which carries the float 56. Thesemembers, so united, are pivoted to the receiver casing at the point 51.With this construction it will be seen that as the float 56 drops down,due to the withdrawal of water from the receiver C, a point willultimately be reached whereat the two fixed contacts 50, 5| will beliquid level, extends through the outer casing of the container C andthere has attached wit a pointer 58 which lies about in the plane 01'the arm 55 and indicates the position of the float within the receiver.In the same views, the pointer 58 is shown with an extension 59 carryinga switch box 60 in which the mercury switch is located, the electricconductors leading to the switch being inclosed in a cable 6| Thedetailed construction of this mercury type switch need hardly be givenin the present disclosure as'such switches are well known in the priorart. How ever, if details of the switch illustrated are desired, reference may be had to the copending application of Albert B. Mojonnier,Serial No. 160,202, flied August 21, 1937, for improvements in floatcontrolled electric switches.

Not onlydoes the closing of switchL complete the starting circuit forthe three-phase motor K, but the closing of said switch also completes acircuit for the winding ill of the supply mechanism A. This is broughtabout through the agency of conductors 62 and 63 which on the one hand,are connected to the terminals of the winding 00, and, on the otherhand, are connected to conductors 31 and 36, respectively. With thiscircuit arrangement, it follows that each time the switch M causesswitch L to close, both compressor F and the supply mechanism A areoperated. At once, then, a refrigerating action begins upon the newlyadmitted liquid emerging from the supply mechanism A. d

It will be noted that, as soon as switch L opens, and the compressor Fstops operating, the supply mechanism A will also cut ofi the admissionof water to the cooling elements 3. However, there will still be some ofthe heat exchange medium within the elements B in condition to continueabstracting heat from the space around the elements within the cover 24.The continued withdrawal of heat units in this way will have an eflfectupon the previously conditioned water in The cover 26 together with theback i4 and the refrigeration takes place. The""maintaining 01' tantandfor this reason the cover 24 is made-to fit closely upon the top ofthe receiver C and against the upright back l4. It should be noted thatthe cover 24 is shown in its physical term in Figs. 2 and 3 but onlydiagrammatically in Fig. 1 by an enclosing line.

It will be apparent that in its details, the structure herein disclosedmay be considerably changed without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention. It is therefore intended that such changes shall becovered by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A liquid conditioning system comprising a heat exchange elementarranged to bring a liquid to be. treated and a liquid conditioningmedium into heat exchange relation to each other, a liquid supply meansfor delivering the liquid to be treated to said element, a receiver forcatching and holding said liquid after being treated by said element,the held liquid serving as a supply of conditioned liquid which may bedrawn upon as needed, a medium supply means for delivering the heatexchange medium to said element, an electromagnetically operated devicefor controlling the operation of said liquid supply means, an

electromagnetically operated device for controlling the operation ofsaid medium supply means, electric circuits for said electromagneticallyoperated devices, and means responsive to variations in the level of theliquid in said receiver to vary said circuits to operate saidelectromagnetically operated devices to variously operate said liquidand medium supply means.

2, A liquid conditioning system comprising aheat exchange elementarranged to bring a liquid to be treated and a liquid conditioningmedium into heat exchange relation to each other, a liquid supply meansfor delivering the liquid to be treated to said element, a receiver forcatching and holding said liquid after being treated by said element,the held liquid serving as a supply of conditioned liquid which may bedrawn upon as needed, an electric motor, means responsive to theoperation of said motor to deliver the heat exchange medium to saidelement, an electromagnetically operated device for controlling theoperation of said liquid supply means, an electromagnetically operatedswitch, electric circuits ifor supplying current to said motor inresponse to operations of said switch, an electric switch operable inresponse to variations in the level of the liquid in said receiver,circuit connections for energizing said electromagnetically operatedswitch in response to the operations of said electric switch, and othercircuit connections for operating said electromagnetically operateddevice in response to the operations of said electromagneticallyoperated switch.

3. A liquid conditioning system comprising a heat exchange elementarranged to bring a liquid to be treated and a liquid conditioningmedium into heat exchange relation to each other, a liquid supplymeans-for delivering the liquid to be treated to said element, means forreceiving and holding said liquid after being treated by said element,the liquid thus held serving as a supply of conditioned liquid which maybe drawn 'upon as needed, a medium supply means for delivering the heatexchange medium to said element, a first electromagnetically operateddevice for controlling the operation of said liquid supply means, asecond electromagnetically operated device for controlling the operationof said medium supply means. electric circuits and connections operativeto actuate said second device, and other electric circuits andconnections for operating saidiirst device in response to the operationof said second device.

4. A liquid conditioning system comprising a heat exchange elementarranged to bring a liquid to be treated and a liquid conditioningmedium into heat exchange relation to each other, a liquid supply meansfor delivering the liquid to be treated to said element, means for.receiving and holding said liquid after being treated by said element,the liquid thus held serving as a supply oi conditioned liquid which maybe drawn upon as needed, an electric motor, means responsive to theoperation of said motor to deliver the heat exchange medium to saidelement, an electromagnetically operated device for controlling saidliquid supply means, means for supplying current to said motor, andcircuit connections operative in response to the actuation of saidcurrent supplying means to operatively energize said 10electromagnetically operated device.

HARRY G. MOJONNIER.

